MIAMI (WSVN) — A court hearing was held, Monday afternoon, in the abduction of a 21-month-old boy, as authorities attempt to unravel a trail of lies about the case that triggered a statewide Amber Alert.
The Amber Alert was issued Sunday morning, after 21-month-old Logan Hernandez went missing in Miami. The child’s court-appointed guardian, Rebeca Rodriguez, 56, claimed she woke up to take medicine early Sunday to find an empty baby crib.
The boy and her mother, 29-year-old Leydibet Hernandez, were located by authorities in Laredo, Texas, about 13 miles from the Mexican border. She was later released by Laredo Police because extradition papers did not come in to Texas in enough time.
Authorities said Hernandez’s current whereabouts are unknown and she is considered a fugitive. Her son remains with authorities in Texas and will be taken back to South Florida sometime in the next 24 hours.
According to police, Logan’s mother had custody of her child revoked.
In Miami-Dade Children’s Court on Monday afternoon, the Department of Children and Families announced a representative is headed to Texas to pick up Logan.
Meanwhile, Miami Police arrested Rodriguez for allegedly giving police a fake story about the child’s disappearance. Her son, Juan Pablo Mesa Jr., and another suspect, Lazara Ortiz, were also taken into custody.
Speaking to 7News on Sunday, Rodriguez said she placed a call to her son in the middle of the night and informed him that the 1-year-old had been taken by his biological mother.
But police said Rodriguez made up the story. According to reports, Mesa told police Hernandez came to Rodriguez’s home along Southwest 34th Court, and took Logan.
An arrest affidavit states: "During our investigation, it was revealed the co-defendant [Hernandez] had boarded a bus … heading to Texas. The defendant [Rodriguez] was totally aware, but yet gave law enforcement a false story."
Speaking to 7News on Sunday, Logan’s foster mother for a month in April 2015, said she never thought anything like this could happen. "He was such a happy boy. He was so cute," said Isabel Corona.
"My nephew was the one who told me what was going on, and I told him, ‘No, that can’t be true,’" Corona continued.
Rodriguez and Mesa have bonded out, but Ortiz remains behind bars.
Another custody hearing in this case has been scheduled for March 18.